Building block



Patented Aug. 1i, 1925..

EAP/L DWIGHT CQVELL, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUILDING zenocx.

Application filed May 29, 1928. Serial No. 642,173.

To all 'whom it my concern.'

Be it known that I, EARL DWIGHT CovnLL, -a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building Blocks, of which the following is a specification, reference' being had to the accompanying drawings.

4This invention relates to bricks and blocks such as are commonly employed in the erection of masonry structures and it has more particular reference to building blocks made from clay, stone, concrete and the like.

rlhe primary object of my vinvention is to provide a building block or blocks whichl when laid in courses are adapted for eiective bonding by means of mortar or other adhesive agent fed into enclosed and interconnected recesses withont any ,of said agent eXuding or appearing at thefacing joints.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel shape of block the use of which in building construction results in the presentation of an unbroken surface to atmospheric exposure; or, in other words, buildings and other masonry structures erected with bricks or blocks embodying my invention are devoid of joint crevices that would necessitate pointing periodically in order to preserve saidjstructures and maintain a non-eroded exposure.

A further object of my invention is to provide a building block having a con uration and cross-section which when laid in courses permits the mortar or other adhesive agent tobe filled into the intervals or spaces in a single operation 'thereby effecting a considerable economy in time and labor..

A still further-object of this invention is to provide a building unit or block whereby the face, back and entire courses of a structure are bonded` by a continuous connecting means when the intervening spaces are filled with an appropriate adhesive agent-such as lime mortar or cement. v

With the foregoing .and other objects in view as will be apparent from the following description, my invention consists essentially of a block for building construction having a concavity in one of its faces and a spacing lug or lugs projecting from another face whereby intercommunicating and closed-in intervals for the adhesive or bonding agent are established, and said agent is isolated from atmospheric action and exposure.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be ehad to the accom anying .drawings constituting a part o this specification and in which like characters of reference designate the same or correspondinlg' parts in all the views.

Fig. is a perspective view of one practical embodiment or'form of my novel buildlng block.

Fig. II is an isometric elevation embrac- 1ng a fragmentary 'portion of a building in course of construction from my 'novel form of blocks or bricks.I

Fig. III is a perspective view of a slight; ly Inodiied form of the invention; and i Flg. IV is a sectional elevation showing how the mortar or other bonding agent fills the horizontal and vertical intervals between superposed courses of my novel building blocks. Referring more particularly to the drawings my novel building block` 5 is made from cl'ay, cement, concrete or .other appropriate substance, and it is of dimensions that will ensure closed outside 'oints 6, as best seen in Figs. II and IV. ach block 5 it will be remarked from an inspection of Figs. I, II and IV is moulded or otherwise formed with a recess or concavity 7 in one of its larger or-horizontal faces ,8, and a vertical spacing lug or ribs 9 projecting from one shorter or lateral face 10. In the drawings it will be observed that the recess 7 is shown :1s-rectangular in con- -iiguration while the lug or rib 9 is of trapezoidal cross-section, but it willbe perfectly obvious that such configuration and crosssection .may 'be varied without de arting from the purpose and function of sai parts. It is intended that the width or thickness of the spacing rib or lug 9 shall be less than the depth of the recess or concavit 7, bntsuch distinction is not fundamenta ly essential, as it will be apparent the linear difference may be changed for dierent materials and building requirement. Further, the function and purpose of the' spacing ribs or lugs '9'.is to resist any tendency -to lateral motion when the intervals or joints between the units ina structure being buil from mynovel form of blocks are lled with the bonding agent.

In the embodiments of my invention illustrated it is to be noted that the above referred to rectangular congured recess 7 is provided in the upper horizontal face of the block 5, while the spacingrib or lug 9 is formed at the right hand angular and vertical edge of said block; but it is to be distinctly understood that such disposition is solely by way of explaining the specific form illustrated, since the block 5 could be easily inverted, whereupon the recess 7 would be located on the underside, with the rib or lug 9 to the left hand. However it is obviously preferable that the blocks 5 should be assembled or laid to line, grade and plumb with the recess 7 uppermost to receive the bonding agent. As seen best lfrom Fig. II, my novel building blocks 5 are laid in courses in the well known manner to break joint as well as establish an interlocked a^ngular connection 11 between the walls 12, 13, the same being obvious to those conversant with the art, However itis Well to lremark that the outer and inner rows of blocks 5, are sepax rated by a continuous interval 14 while the aforesaid spacing ribs or lugs 9 establish inner and outer lateral intervals 15, 16, respectivelylocated in staggered relation relative to and opening into the continuous intervals 14. Furthermore it will be seen from Fig. II that where the continuous interval 14 in the wall 12, breaks joint with the continuous interval 14 in the wall 13, said joint will be reinforced or buttressed at 17 by the recession set up by the rib or lu 9 on the end of the inner row of bricks 5 in the last mentioned Wall. Still further it is noteworthy'y that the junction into one another of the adhesive lled longitudinal intervals 14 in the manner set forth provides a continuous or endless bondaround an .entire structure, as well as similarly anchoring all arti-walls thereto, whereby stability and rigidity are effectively ensured, and the factor of safety greatly. increased. After a course of blocks 5 has been laid the intervals 14, 15, 16 and recess 7 are filled with mortar or other suitable bonding agent 18 in any of the well known ways, but it will be quite clear that said agent may be injected thereinto through an appropriate nozzle under the action of compressed air. Such manner of filling the intervals 14,15, 16, and recess 7, eliminates almost entirely all trowel work on the partof the operator and thereby effects an enormous saving in labor, while the bonding agent will be more evenly and effectively forced into all crevices thus preventing the formation of holes and pockets for the collection of moisture and other deteriorative matter. I

Obviously when one course of blocks 5 is laid and the Vmortar or other adhesive agent 18 filled into the intervals 14, 15 16 and recesses 7 any surplus is struck off or leveledfby a trowel, straight-edge, or other appropriate means ready for the superposed course; and it will be clear from an examination of Figs. II and IV more particularly, that each lateral interval 15 or 16 breaks joint with a recess 7 in a lower block 20 thus establishing an inverted T-shaped locking connection 18-Fig. IV.r Thus it will be evident that a wall built from blocks 5 and blocks' 20, laid in the manner described will have an interlocked connection between each superposed course, as well as between the inner and outer rows of said blocks.

In the modified form of block 20 shown by Fig. III it will be seen that I provide a recess or concavity 21 as before described in the upper larger horizontal face 22. On the other hand I form the block 2O with a plurality yof ribs or lugs 28' conveniently of trapezoidal cross-section, and said ribs or lugs 23 are preferably located at the right and left hand vertical-and frontal-edges of the block 5. This form of my novel building block provides for its use in header courses as will be well understood by those conversant with the building trades;.there fore further explanation is deemed unnecessary.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that by my invention I am enabled to build a wall or other structure perfect in its parts and characterized by an entire absence, on the surface of said walls, of adhesive-agent lled joints whereby atmospheric eroding at said joints is prevented. Stillfurther my invention enables a wall or other structure to be erected with the outer and inner faces securely bonded together by the mortar or other bonding agent with a continuousand interlocked jointing connection.

Pre-eminent among the advantages inhering to my above described invention is the fact,that I am enabled to erect structures having exposed faces entirely free from.

erodible joints or crevices, while a smootherA and cleaner finish is obtainable than was heretofore possible, and lastly but by no means to be overlooked is the feature that walls and other structures built with blocks of the character set forth and shown cannot easily be damaged and disgured by nails and the like driven thereinto` owing to the close contact abutment of each unit therein. Further it is to be noted that structures built from my lnovel form of blocks will be effectively bonded in all directions, both mechanically as well as resultant from the cohesion of the mortar or other adhesive agent between the several units, while it will be obvious that any width or thickness of wall may `be built by employing more than two widths of brick as shown and described.

Changes in the size and design of the various parts of my novel building block will be clearly apparent, therefore the right is hereby reserved to make all such variations as fairly lie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In building construction, superposed courses of block units each of which is formed with a recess in its upper horizontal face and a vertical trapezoidal cross-section spacing lug coincident With one of its very tical end edges, said units when laid in A laterally staggered invert T-shaped communicating recessions for vthe accommodation of bonding material, said lateral recessions terminating short of the exposed face of the Wall so that the bonding material is Wholly concealed and protected from atmospheric action,

3. A Wall structure comprising courses of block units each of which is formed With a recess in its upper face and a trapezoidal cross-sectioned spacing lug co-incident With one of its vertical edges so as to provide recessions, which, when said units are vlssembled, afford a vertically continuous interval and communicating laterally directed invert T-shaped recession adapted for filling with a bonding material, said interval and lateral recessions terminating short of the exposed faces of said Wall so that the bonding material is Wholly enclosed and isolated from Y atmospheric action.

4. As an article of manufacture a building block having a recess in one of its large horizontal faces, and a trapezoidal. cross-section spacing lug coincident with one of its angular vertical edges.

5. As an article of manufacture a building block having a recess in its upper horizontal face, and a pair of opposed trapez'oidal cross-section spacing lugs coincident with parallel Vertical end edges thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 26th day of May, 1923.

EARL DWIGHT COVELL.

Witnesses:

J AMES I-I. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

